Tuesday, 7 August 2012

Armchair athletes

So forgive my obsession with the Olympics but lately it seems like the whole nation is now going Olympic crazy so one more post really won't make much of a difference will it?

I promise I will try to cram all my opinions into one post so that we don't have to keep going over this (keeps fingers crossed behind my back, ner ner ner ner ner)

Firstly, How hard do we think Spandau Ballet and especially Gary Kemp are pissing themselves laughing at their rapidly rising bank accounts right now. I bet their F5 button is almost worn out.

Secondly, have we all got completely behind the fact that our athletes are superb role models for our children? Yep? Better than TOWIE stars and Kardashians? Yep? We all have that memo? Yep?

I shall move on.

I've loved the Olympics so far, absolutely loved it. I wish it could go on forever, Perhaps like a travelling circus it could move straight onto Rio and they have to do it all over again for our viewing pleasure, then immediately after then, Tokyo bound. I for one certainly wouldn't complain.

The only issue that I have with the Olympics is that for as many young people it inspires to take up a sport, it also inspires an army of what I like to call "armchair athletes"

They are everywhere, absolutely everywhere, there isn't a sport at the Olympics that somewhere, someone (who had never even heard of this sport two weeks ago) doesn't know everything about.

Even Omnium, (Which I thought was that song from The Muppets)

But we are learning a lot from the Olympics I must admit.

A week ago I thought a pike was a fish, now I find myself tutting as the the diver over rotates as they enter the water creating a larger splash than is needed (I mark them down for that)

I find myself talking about the rowers techniques, now as I used to row I consider myself not only qualified to talk about this but consider myself an EXPERT, honestly, if it came to court, they could call me to testify. (testify, testify)

Although I also once got thrown from a horse and still consider myself an expert in all things equestrian.

In fact I also once ran for a bus so consider myself an expert in the 100 metres as well.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, I have become one of THOSE people haven't I?

I'm an "armchair athletic"

Oh DAMN it.

Goes back to watching Womens Laser Radial and checking the tides and wind speed.

(As one does)

So what obscure sport have you found yourself watching and LOVING during the Olympics?

Have you become an armchair athlete?

And am I the only one thinking that an Olympic gold in BMX riding will be the coolest medal ever?

I haven't been watching :S I'm really not a sports person and whilst I enjoyed the opening ceremony, thanks to Twitter tbh, I haven't been following the Games as such. It's lovely though to see Team GB doing so well though. And anyway I don't really need to watch them as social media keeps me well informed lolLooking forward to the closing ceremony though.

Very well observed as usual, and really I suppose it is only human nature to try and jump on the band wagon, however the real harm comes when the armchair pundit starts vocalising their perceived expertise in a malicious way when the athlete fails, for this I cite the "Tom Daley" incident, these people work for years to get to where they are, not sitting in an armchair picking their noses, and are devastated when one slip means it is all wasted, spare a thought for their feelings, how many have you heard say that they feel that they have let the crowd down because they only got the bronze? Instead the armchair pundit starts spouting off about how rubbish their performance was, how if they had only done this or that they would have got Gold! Well Mr armchair athlete put your money where your mouth is, with all of the experts we have watching from the sidelines Rio will be a record breaking haul of Gold (El Dorado at last)

Mine is synchronised swimming. Next time I go to the pool I am so walking out tlike that! Those women are amazing!I'm not much of an armchair athlete more of an armchair athlete admirer ;-)Oh and as for the post above, every time a disparaging remark is made in our house my kids have learned to say "well they're up there, are you?"

Gold on BMX'ing would indeed be the coolest medal to get. Plus I know about bmx'ing cos my son does it, we are well known at the local a&e.. he also does skateboarding and blading and really wants to see those in the Olympics.

I am an armchair sportsman, but only about the sports I know about ie diving as I used to dive many years ago at county team level. My heart went out to Pete Waterfield & Tom Daley, one mistake and their confidence dropped, then they both get a load of abuse, well oddly can the people giving the abuse do any of what they can? No? Well stfu then.

I love watching the gymnastics as well, haven't a clue about any of it, but I cheered every single gymnast on, no matter where they were from purely because I am amazed by them.

Is that not what the Olympics is actually about? A coming together of countries, competing to see who is the best at that moment, regardless of nationality.

Haha I totally agree! My Dad and I were having a conversation about how one would get in to pole vaulting. Of course most things you can do at a beginners level, but surely this you have to start pretty high?! What makes you think 'Hmmm I think I'd be pretty good at picking up that massive pole and jumping over another pole'. At least with high jump they do it in athletics at high school. Pretty niche sport really.Anyway I agree, my boyfriends Dad is constantly laughing at me as I'm always spouting out little Olympic facts - Did you know that the guy that won gold in the shooting lost all his funding and had to find funding from a prince from Dubai?! All to one side, I have absolutely loved it!Charlottexox

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